Big Mama Thornton Death, Funeral, Age At Death, Songs

Big Mama Thornton was an R&B singer and songwriter from the United States. In 1952, she was the first to record Leiber and Stoller’s “Hound Dog,” which became her biggest hit, spending seven weeks at the top of the Billboard R&B chart and selling nearly two million copies.

On July 25, 1984, medical personnel discovered Big Mama Thornton dead in a Los Angeles boarding house. She was 57 years old. She died of heart and liver problems caused by her long-term alcohol abuse.

Many blues legends attended her funeral, which was officiated by her old Peacock Records collaborator, Johnny Otis.

Big Mama’s musical education began in the church but continued with her observations of rhythm-and-blues singers Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie, whom she admired.

Thornton’s other recordings included the original version of “Ball and Chain”, which she wrote.

Thornton’s final albums for Vanguard Records were Jail and Sassy Mama in 1975. Other songs from the session were released on Big Mama Swings in 2000.